Sounds Like Teen Spirit

2008

1h 40m

Documentary

List

88%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Entrants in the 2007 Junior Eurovision Song Contest from Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Georgia are followed as they compete against 16 acts to win the title.

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Audience Member

OMG this was a delicious little treat. Its touching funny and well worth a watch. To see the differences between kids in each country is an eye opener - some look acceptably trashy, some old fashioned. And the songs are great.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

I love this documentary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

One lazy afternoon not wearing my glasses I rented this movie as a suggestion from iTunes. I thought it had to do with Nirvana. When I began watching it I thought I had just made a terrible mistake and I was in for some TLC type show where its about the overbearing parents living through their somewhat talented kids. Well, I was pleasantly surprised! It was a story, told by the kids themselves. Quite endearing, for once allowing kids to speak their minds in a way that to my surprise shows you the realities of children around the world, how they are different yet the same in many ways. I liked how the director allowed each kid to portray themselves in their personal ways. It had to do something about their performances, but that didn't get in the way of the stories they have to say. All three characters and the band tell their story of why they "compete" in Junior Eurovision, none of them crave fame or showbiz success, and their parents stay at a healthy distance. Wherever these kids (Marina, Yiorgos, Mariam, the Trust kids, Bab, Dalton SIsters, etc. are, I hope that their wishes came true and that they revisit this time in their lives in the movie. It was a very nice way to spend 93 minutes and 5 Dollars in my life. (Now, if only TLC and other US channels would take notice and make shows that are not about laughing about others ignorance, but about their unscripted stories... that is probably too much too ask.)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

Over-generalised documentary on a fairly insignificant international event.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

A well made but ultimately hollow documentary. The movie really has no point to make and did not offer any novel insight, the only thing I was left with was the belief that the Eurovision format is too harsh for children.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

I cried many times during this documentary. I think I'm going to watch next Junior Eurovision Song Contest on telly.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Dan Jolin

Empire Magazine

A cast of cute kids and quirky teens make for an unorthodox but endearing documentary.

Rated: 3/5

May 8, 2009

Full Review

Dave Calhoun

Time Out

Johnson serves the story well and strikes a welcome tone by taking his subjects just seriously enough. Very enjoyable - but no more than an extended 'Pop Idol' for cinema.

Rated: 3/6

May 8, 2009

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James Christopher

Times (UK)

The documentary Sounds Like Teen Spirit has a thoroughly dismal premise but it is a remarkable and deeply affecting watch.

Rated: 4/5

May 8, 2009

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Nikki Baughan

Roll Credits

[A] charming, moving and ultimately heart-warming testament to the power of dreams to transform the lives of these troubled youngsters, if only for the length of the contest.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 29, 2019

Full Review

Cosmo Landesman

Sunday Times (UK)

Johnson's film is meant to be a heartwarming and funny look at young dreamers and the realities of their lives. But there's something distasteful in portraying these kids as lovable losers.

Rated: 2/5

May 13, 2009

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Philip French

Observer (UK)

This is another moderately interesting documentary following some obscure competition in which there will be grieving losers, exultant winners and little widespread acclaim.

May 13, 2009

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Synopsis

Entrants in the 2007 Junior Eurovision Song Contest from Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Georgia are followed as they compete against 16 acts to win the title.

Director: Jamie Jay Johnson
Producer: Simon Fawcett, Maxyne Franklin, Jess Search
Production Co: Number 9 Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2017
Runtime: 1h 40m

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